


Elysium Indigo: A Perfect World Story

by The_Grogster



Series: Elysium Indigo: A Perfect World Noir [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Detective Noir, Original Fiction, Other, Science Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:20:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28863939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Grogster/pseuds/The_Grogster
Summary: Nero Abe, a private investigator in Elysium City, calls upon the help from the Queen of The Hive, Neapolitan, to catch a criminal he has a personal vendetta with.
Series: Elysium Indigo: A Perfect World Noir [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2116695





	Elysium Indigo: A Perfect World Story

**Author's Note:**

> First story in a while! This is a sort of prologue to a future story with my character Nero Abe in Queen Neapolitan's "The Perfect World" universe. You can check her out at her twitter 
> 
> https://twitter.com/QueenNeapolitan?s=09
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

The neon lights of Elysium seeped into the blinds of Nero’s office. The diffused beams hit the back of his body and onto the small, messy room, filled with boxes and cork boards, pinned papers struggling to hold on. He ran his metallic hand along the cheap plastic desk, his digits whirring and clicking. That same hand glided to a bottle of cheap liquor, taking a heavy swig. Nero recoiled from the taste, comparing it to paint thinner. He looked out to his small office and to the door and it's glass panel, it's plastic glued on letters announcing the room as:

_NERO ABE,_

_Private Investigator_

**_No soliciting_ **

He sat back in his chair and looked at his desk. There was an old corded telephone. As futuristic and wealthy was the so-called paradiso known as Elysium, there was a huge class disparity, and as you could guess, being a freelance investigator didn't pay well, but not any more than being a cop, unless you were paid off. It didn't matter too much to Nero, he liked digging for antiques, tearing them apart and fixing them. He was just glad the city still had phone lines. Next to the phone were two pictures, one was an aged picture of two boys standing together, smiling like there was no tomorrow. Another was a more modern picture of Nero, only 2 years ago, when he had opened this office, standing next to another person, his best friend Ace. Across the desk were printed news clippings, the headlines included:

_“YOUNG MAN KILLED IN SHOOTOUT”_

_“IS THERE A NEW DRUG RING IN ELYSIUM?”_

Nero looked at the clippings and took another swig. He thought back to when they truly became friends…

  
  


A punch hit Alex "Ace" Kingston with a fleshy thud, falling onto the wet ground. “You prick!” screamed Nero, fury in his eyes. “Why the hell did you push me into them? I could’ve gotten my ass beat.” Nero wore a dirty vest and a pair of ripped slacks, his short blonde hair not to clean either. Ace had long white hair with a single black streak,had a slim face, wore a tatty t-shirt with a rock band’s logo and jeans, as well as a homemade visor that while useful, Nero urged him not to wear, saying that Ace would “Get his face broken in”. 

“I panicked! They had knives and shit, this is really your fault!” Ace sprung back up, dusting himself.

“Oh really?! Ok, explain how it’s my fault.”

“well maybe you shouldn’t have pissed off guys older than us who have knives!”

“They want to make fun of me or my parents, I’ll kick their ass! I don’t take that shit!”

“God! Are you that dense? Out to lunch? ‘Near the bay’!?” Ace gave a smug grin, only because he used that stupid nickname he gave to Nero. “Fuck….you Ace!” Nero cried out, walking away from him, interrupted by the screech of a truck horn. Nero froze in place as a large construction vehicle struggled to stop, veering left to right. Its cargo began to rumble and shake, swinging itself sideways to put nero in it’s area of destruction. At the last moment, Ace rushed in, pulling on Nero, before the vehicle crashed into the building behind them with a thunderous boom.

A cloud of dust filled the air, Ace coughing and spluttering as he was knocked down again. He yanked off his visor to get a clear gaze at the accident. The clouds eventually settled, showing Nero curled on the ground, coughing and groaning in pain. Ace rushed over, calling to Nero. as he got closer, he noticed a trail of blood leading up to him 

“Nero....Nero! Can you hear me?!” Ace yelled over his friend.

“.....please stop yelling...” Nero meekly said, turning over to Ace. Ace looked over his body, while he wasn’t terribly hurt, his arm, from his hand to the end of his elbow, was crushed and ripped off by the construction vehicle, crimson blood spewing out from his arm. They both looked at it with a sense of disgust and awe. “Ah….shit...” Nero let his head fall back onto the ground. “Fuck….you nearly got totalled by that truck…..do you need a hand?....oh, shit...” Ace muttered with a sense of worry, but then chuckling a bit on his own unintended pun. Instead of scowling, Nero let out a hearty laugh, glad he still had his life. “I swear to GOD, im gonna beat you to death with this stump…"

Ace let out a more meek, scared chuckle. The screeching call of an ambulance pulled Ace's attention, engine roaring like a white lion. The siren cut abruptly as the truck pulled in, almost drifting to a stop as it reached the crash site.

"….Thanks…” Nero finally muttered before lying back on the ground. The paramedics were closing in…

  
  


“Not the best way to become friends…..” Nero said to himself, looking at the old picture of them together. “heh.....You were such an idiot for following me, yet you did it anyway….” Nero gripped the casing of his robotic arm, letting it whirr and click. Ace wasn’t the most responsible of people, his more mischievous background contrasting Nero’s police background, but he wouldn’t walk into something that would get him killed. What did he do? Who killed him? What was he killed for? Nero’s mind raced with these questions, before stopping his nervous habit. Overthinking can make you a decent detective, but if you let it get the best of you, you’ll just end up confused and angry.

He opened up a small compartment in the arm which he used as a cigarette case. He stuck the cig in his mouth before pressing his metal thumb forward, giving the familiar click of a lighter. At that point the phone rang with urgency. Nero let it ring for a bit, taking a long drag of his smoke before picking up the receiver. “We’re closed…...Joey! Shit, no, I didn’t know it was you, how’re things?” he stood up from his desk and paced around. “Yeah, to be honest I’m surprised she hasn’t left you're stupid ass…..she did?...Then what happened to Barbera?....Ah, that doesn’t matter, why’re you callng so late….a lead?....Oh…for him…” he looked at his cluttered cork board to a specific photo, the man he believed to be Ace’s killer. “...Thanks joey…”

……………..

The rumbling of the train woke Nero up. He had been napping during his rail ride considering the long wait from Elysium’s _Hauer station,_ to the _hive terminus_. He looked out the slim window to see they were just about to enter the hive. The hive was a large oval shape, only a third of it’s dome bursting from the ground, little ports sticking out from rail and other exits from the hive. As the train slid in, a brief moment of darkness engulfed the carriage before a shining beam came out from the end of the tunnel. The familial bright hue of the sky came back into the carriage. The hive’s light source was from a small star, protected by a crystal ball in the center of the large city. The train slowed to a crawl as it reached the station. Nero stepped out into the open fresh air.

Nero looked up at the “sky”, which was a series of panels lining the top of the hive, designed to reflect and give the illusion of a clear sky. Nero liked the ingenuity of it, hoping elysium could adopt a similar idea so he wouldn’t have to look at dreary clouds all day. He looked around the grand station, flourishing with energy as bee and Tegu alike went through. Not many humans went through the hive, mostly sticking to elysium and pandora city, so Nero stuck out like a sore thumb, but so would his lead. Nero moved out of the station, walking to the map of the hive, already knowing where he wanted to go, the hive palace.

  
  


Nero walked down the long ornate corridors of the hive. He took out his dull metal flask and took a small sip. He was dying for a cigarette, but the guards had refused and confiscated them. Joey had set up an interview with Neapolitan, Queen of said hive. He had never been in the hive, as it seemed almost ethereal compared to Elysium. Besides, he was more used to Elysium, despite everything wrong with the neon city. The large doors at the end, revealing the queen. Nero was in near shock. By seeing the other drones walking in the capital district, he had assumed what she would look like, but he was quite wrong. She was at least twice the size of him, sitting in a wide, floating throne. Her complexion was bright, with a mix of pink, black and white. Her eyes were striking, yet, inviting. Her eyes moved to him as he made it to the center of the room. “Ah, you must be detective Abe. How can I help you?” she beamed, her body language and voice friendly.

“O-oh..ah...you can just say Nero...if you like your highness” he gave a hesitant bow, unsure of what to do. “There’s no need to bow, detective.” Queen Neapolitan put out a hand of reassurance. “I’m not a queen who demands formality. Now, what did you come to talk to me about?”

  
  


"....I'm trying to track down a criminal. From Elysium I mean. He's trying to hole up here. You're aware of who comes into the city, correct?"

"Well, not every name but I have workers on custom duties I can contact." She drew up a holographic panel from her chair and started flicking through files. "Do you know his name?"

"Cameron Mylar. That's at least what Joey told me…"

"Joey?"

"Joseph Ellsworth. Head officer for ECPD, were friends, back when I was on the force."

"I see. And this Cameron...what is he guilty of?"

"A Lot of things. Extortion, laundering, blackmail...m…." Nero coughed, his insides twisting up. All he could think about was Ace, how he was left, a bloody mess in a street corner. 

"... Detective? Are you alright?"

"...m...murder..." he almost vomited out, his eyes growing bloodshot. He left out a soft chuckle. "He was quite an Everyman...or a madman...excuse me..." He slowly turned, heading back to the doors.

"Wait, detective, I haven't-"

"I'm not a detective…..not anymore.." he stormed out. Nea let out a soft sigh, her eyes gazing at the door before going back to the screen, continuing her task handed by Nero. Nero's breath turned jagged and shallow, clutching his throat. His metal fingers cool against his flushed skin. He counted to himself, taking deeper breaths. A single tear falling to the ground. Slowly, he composed himself. He hadn't felt this way in a long time...he hated it. He wiped his face clean, his own voice monologuing to himself, then, silence….

  
  


"Listen, don't talk to me like that please..."

"What, you think you're better than me??!"

His thoughts were broken by two people arguing. One was a bee, a civilian of the hive. By his clothing, he seemed like a noble. In front of him was human, seeming disheveled and agitated. Nero took steps to the arguing pair, a close by soldier trying to dissolve the argument. Nero tried to identify the angry person, eventually mustering the strength to say "hey…"

All three turned but Nero's eyes focused on the human. It was Cameron. He could tell by his curly hair, and bright cybernetic eye. And most importantly, the look of absolute terror, seeing Nero in Elysium attire. Without hesitation, Cameron bolted from him. Nero's mind stirred into action as he bolted after him, his long coat and tie flying in the wind as he gave chase in the complex layout of the hive. They passed into the shopping district, dense with hive civilians. Cameron pushed through everyone, knocking products over to slow Nero down, yet Nero wasn't phased, slipping through the spaces Cameron created, jumping over the junk dropped to the floor, apologising as he rushes down the district. Cameron kept turning and zigzagging, his breath ragged. Cameron was rushing to the edge, running out of options. Before Nero could yell “stop!”, cameron leaped off the balcony, crashing into a roll on one of the lower districts. Nero looked down, stunned by his feat and cursed to himself.

Cameron turned to rush into a corner of the lower district, hiding in the shadows. Nero had to act fast. He pulled a casing from a spent round he left in his pocket and rushed off. Cameron hid within the shadowed corner, clutching his chest and fanning his shirt, his forehead beading with sweat after the long chase. He let out a pained grunt as he checked his leg. While partly cybernetic, it was still bleeding white fluids down his leg, after taking the blunt force of the drop. He looked back up from the corner checking both ways to find his mysterious assailant. Nothing was there, the silence, almost deafening. Suddenly, the light clatter of a bullet casing rang out, bouncing high before falling near him. His attention turned to the metal object,rolling by his feet. He stared at it, his body frozen. Slowly, and delicately, he goes to pick it up….

Nero struck him at full force, Cameron rising in the air for a brief moment before hitting the ground with the weight of the detective on his back. Nero instinctively grabbed his throat as he straddle him, he knee pinning the leg of the criminal. “Got ya, you prick…” Nero growled with anger beginning to bubble in him. “Fuck you, i havent done anything!” Cameron struggled in his grasp. 

“Oh, is trafficking and killing nothing? You were here for a reason, weren't you? Planning a hit?”

“What’re you, a cop? Get the hell off me!” Nero raised his fist at him.

“I’m not a cop anymore but I can sure hit you like one… why the murders? Why did you come here? _Svet_ ring a bell?” Cameron’s eyes widened “Yeah, I bet it does. Why’re you here?!”

“What's it to you, _niemand_?” Cameron sneered, Nero shook him violently.

“Why did you kill Ace?!”

“....What?”

“Don’t fuck with me! ACE! Tall, white hair, what’s he got to do with this?” Cameron looked in confusion, before a smug look engulfed his face. “He was your friend wasn’t he? For a second you were actually coming after me for a reason…” the muscles in Nero's arms tensed up, pushing cameron further into the wall. “What did you say?”

“For a second I thought you were here for what I do for work, not for a revenge story. But you don’t think about the damage I..or maybe you cause by doing this.”

“I’m not like you, you piece of shit! Why did you kill him?!? There’s a reason for it! There’s a reason for everything!”

“No…” Camerons voice went grave, looking deep into the detective’s eyes. “There’s not...there’s never a reason for everything...every part of this world... this universe is chaos. You either believe you can control it or you channel it’s anarchal nature...that’s the difference between you and me. I do what I do just because. I don’t want power. And money is just a catalyst, to continue the things I do… I have as much of a reason killing, than you do upholding the law, an invisible code you choose to follow...” 

Nero just stared back at him, letting the man monologue him, his voice drowning out. He couldn't think if he was right or wrong, if his deep philosophical take on society had any merit. He could only think about Ace, and the fact that his friend was mutilated, and thrown in the gutter, was for nothing…

The deafening sound of a broken jaw rang out. Cameron stumbled back, but not far from the grip of Nero. His mechanical hand landed into the criminal’s face, again, and again, and again. Chips and cracked pieces of teeth fell to the ground, blood erupting from his lips, splashing the crimson fluid onto Nero’s metal appendage. Nero let go of Cameron, letting him fall to the ground, but he didn’t stop. He followed suit and just kept hitting him. The white of one of Cameron’s eyes was stained with his blood. All he could give was a soft chuckle.

  
  


“Detective! What are you doing?” Nero looked up, seeing the towering Queen, followed by two royal guards. Nero looked up, his pupils dilated, letting out guttural breaths, blood slowly pooling at the edge of his metal digits. “This is not what I am assisting you for!”

Nero looked down at Cameron. His eyes were half lidded and swollen, his breath soft, yet clinging to the oxygen around him. Tears fell on his cheek, washing away bits of his own blood. Nero choked on his words.

“H….He kill ...HE MURDERED ACE!!!!....he killed my friend ...” he struggled to hold back sobs.

“And that makes you think you can kill him? I'll do what I can to help you catch a criminal. But if any more blood is spilt, I’ll have to take you in too.”

Nero looked through his teary eyes, seeing the royal guards ready themselves, then looking down at Cameron. He clenched his jaw, and gripped the red-stained shirt of Cameron, one more punch could kill him. He was almost frozen in time, struggling to do anything. Nero took two long deep breaths...and leaned back on his knees, letting go of Cameron. The guards were closing in.

……………….

Nero leaned against a wall, his elbows planted on it, looking out to the Queen’s garden. He had another cigarette in his hand, gently blowing the wispy smoke away. The insectoid Queen came up from behind, mildly annoyed at her ignorant guest's filthy habit.

“I already told you before, you can’t smoke here. This will be a final warning, before I start ripping them out of your pocket.” 

“...Right, sorry.” He put it out against his metal arm, multiple burn marks against its casing, it was a very primitive build of a prosthetic, built by nero himself, back when he was a kid. It was dented and battered, it’s only vibrant aspect was the forearms colours, his favourite colour, Elysium Indigo, which was really just gunsteel blue, glorified to be a better colour than it was.

“Don’t you find that disgusting? Breathing all that nasty stuff in?” she leaned over similar to him.

“It keeps me distracted…what’s the deal with Cameron? ”

“He’s been detained and will be held accountable for his crimes and intentions both here and in elysium… I'm glad you didn't kill him, Detective Abe. I didn’t want to throw you in jail.” 

“I let him get to me… I promise that won’t happen again. Not just for my sake…” He ran his hand over the metal plate, admiring what’s left of it. “And I told you, I’m not a detective anymore.”

Elysium Indigo, what’s left of it…

“Hm...alright then Mr.Abe!” The towering Queen beamed happily.

Elysium Indigo. A faint memory of where he grew up, Ace, and all that was wrong with his world, all encased in that single colour. He gave a soft chuckle. “Hehe, sure...” he looked out to the beautiful garden, plants of every colour, with a large tree at the end. The colours and the way everything was placed, soothed him. “You have a nice garden.”

“Yes, it is…”

“...mind if i stay here a bit longer?”

The Queen looked down at him, before placing her gentle hand on his back and smiling.

“Yes. Of course you can.”


End file.
